Machine for cleaning and scalding vegetables, &amp;c.



No. 731,092. PATBNTED JUNE 16, 1903. J. BAKER.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND S'GALDING VEGETABLES{ 6nd.

AIPLIOATION FILED AUG, 5. 1901.

N0 MODEL.

1 gm. 1 is UNKTE STATE Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT rFrcE.

JOHN BAKER, OF VALPARAISO, INDIANA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 731,092, dated June 16, 1903.

Application filed August 5,1901. Serial No. 70,887. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN BAKER, a resident of Valparaiso, in the county of Porter, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cleaning and scalding Vegetables, &c., of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has for its object to provide an improved construction of machine more particularly designed for cleaning and scalding tomatoes or other vegetables or fruits that require to be cleaned or scalded before being subjected to the canning process.

My invention consists in features of improvement hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out by the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a view in central vertical longitudinal section through a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical crosssection taken in front of the perforated diaphragm. I

The body of the machine comprises a watertight tank A, that is shown as supported upon suitable legs a. Into this tank dips the lower end of an inclined partially-perforated or foraminous cylinder B, within which is mounted the spiral conveyer O, the blade of which is of perforated metal. The lower end of the cylinder B is connected to a perforated plate or diaphragm D, that forms,with the front portion of the inclined part of the tank A, a hopper into which the tomatoes or other vegetables to be cleaned and scalded will be placed. The tank A is furnished at its bottom with a suitable discharge-pipe a and adjacent to its top with an overflow pipe or port a this overflow pipe or port determining the level of water within the tank. The cylinder Bis straight from end to end, and that part of the cylinder within the tank A is formed of perforated or foraminous material, while that part of the cylinder outside of the tank is imperforate, so that the water will stand within the cylinder B at a point slightly beyond the rear end of the tank A. The spiral conveyer C is that is bolted upon the inner face of the in- B, that is bolted to the end of the cylinder B,

and outside this cap carries a gear-wheel E, fixed thereto and engaging a pinion E, that is mounted on the shaft E This shaft E is connected at its lower end by a universal coupling 4 with a shaft E and the shafts E and E are journaled in suitable bearings 5, 6, and 7, sustained by standards mounted upon the top of the machine. The shaft E carries the pulleys e, whereby the shafts and the conveyor will be driven. Into the upper end of the tubular shaft 0 passes a pipe F, whereby steam will be delivered into the tnbular shaft to be discharged through the holes 0. The pipe F is connected to a sta tionary coupling f, that encircles the upper end of the tubular shaft 0' and forms a close joint therewith.

The cylinder B is provided upon its under side, near its upper end, with a dischargespout b for the cleaned tomatoes or other vegetables and upon its upper side is furnished with a pipe or spout I), through which fumes, steam, 85c, may discharge. The shaft E preferably passes through holes formed in the sides of the discharge-pipe 1). Into the upper side of the cylinder B also leads a steamdelivery pipe G, provided with a nozzle 9, and to the upper part of the cylinder also leads a water-supply pipe H, having a spraying-nozzle h, the purpose of which will presently more fully appear.

From the foregoing description the operation will be seen to be as follows: Tomatoes or other vegetables to be cleaned and scalded will be placed in the hopper at the front of the water-tight tank after this tank has been filled with water to a height determined by the overflow-port (1*. Revolution will then be imparted to the conveyor 0 by means of its shaft 0', and the tomatoes or the like will be advanced by the conveyer in upward direction through the inclined cylinder B. In-

B is perforated or foraminous and is submerged within the water of the tank A, it will be readily understood that as the tomatoes or the like are thus advanced up the cylinder B they will be agitated and subjected to the action of the water, thereby causing any dirt that may adhere thereto to fall away and pass through the perforations of the cylinder B and on to the bottom of the tank A, whence such impurities will be Withdrawn through the pipe at. As the tomatoes are thus advanced up the inclined cylinder B they come in contact with the fresh water delivered through the pipe H and with the steam delivered through the pipe G. The elfect of thus delivering water into the cylinder B and above the wat r-line of the tank is not only to remove from the tomatoes the skum or impurities that may still adhere thereto, but also to cause such scum and impurities to pass backward through the holes'or openings of the cylinder B into the tank A, whence the scum or like impurities will be discharged through the overflow-pipe a, while the heavier impurities will fall to the bottom of the tank to be thence discharged through the pipe at. As steam is deliveredby pipes F and G into the upper portion of the cylinder B it will serve to efiectively scald the tomatoes or other vegetables being cleaned before their discharge through the spout 1), below which suitable buckets or the likewill be placed to receive them. By arranging the conveyor C within the straight inclined cylinder B the necessity of forming the conveyor-shaft O of sections coupled together is avoided and an easier action of the conveyer is obtained. The driving-shaft being connected with the upper end of the conveyor-shaft also avoids the necessity of extending'the conveyor-shaft through the water-tight tank and employing a stuffing-box in such tank. Moreover, by connecting the lower end of the conveyor cylinder-to a diaphragm adjacent to the front of the tank A a hopper is formed which allows the tomatoes or like articlesbeing treated to enter directly into the end of the conveyercylinder, and thus avoid any cutting or mashing of the tomatoes.

My invention affords a more simple and efiective construction of. machine for cleaning and scalding tomatoes or the like than anyother machine with which I am familiar.

1. In apparatus of the character described, I

the combination with a water-tight tank, of a diaphragm extendiugacross said tank near its front and having an opening therein, said diaphragm forming with the front portion of said tank a hopper to receive vegetables, &c., a straight, inclined and partially-perforated cylinder having its lower end submerged in said tank and having its upper end provided with a discharge-spout, the lower end of said cylinder being secured to said diaphragm at the opening thereof, a journal-block secured to the front wall of said tank opposite the axial center of said cylinder, a conveyer-shaft stepped in said journal-block and extending in straight line from end to end of said inclined cylinder, a perforated conveyer mounted upon said conveyer-shaft, a gearwheel connected tothe upper end of said conveyer-shaft and gearing for driving said conveyer-shaft.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a water-tight tank, of a diaphragm extending across said tank near its front and having an opening therein, said diaphragm forming with the front portion of said tanka hopper to receive vegetables, &c., a straight inclined and partially-perforated cylinder having its lower end submerged in said tank and having its upper end provided with a discharge-spout, the lower end of said cylinder being secured to said diaphragm at the opening thereof, a journal-blockseeured to the front wall of said tank opposite the axial center of said cylinder, a tubular, perforated conveyer-shaft stepped in said journal-block and extending in straight line from end to end of said inclined cylinder, a perforated conveyer mounted upon said conveyorshaft, a gear-wheel connected to the upper end of said conveyor-shaft, gearing for driving said conveyor-shaft, a steam-pipe coupled to the upper end of the tubular conveyershaft and a spray-pipe located'in the top of said cylinder adjacent its upper end for delivering water to the interior of the cylinder.

JOHN BAKER.

Witnesses:

ALBERTA ADAMICK, GEO. P. FISHER, Jr. 

